MAC Unsung Heroes: Prep + Prime Vibrancy Eye Primer

For real though! I could spend hours at the MAC counter if left unchecked. Allegedly, when I went to the mall the other day, it was “just to browse” (yeah, right!), but next thing ya know, I’m chatting with the MAC artists about concealers, and WHOOPS! Would ya look at that? It’s 30 minutes later. 🙂

We talked about our faves, and we each had different ones, but one thing all us agreed on (and gushed about) was the awesomeness of today’s unsung makeup hero, MAC Prep + Prime Vibrancy Eye Primer ($30).

An under-eye makeup primer of heroic proportions, this puff-reducing powerhouse deserves a key to the city. It brightens dark areas with a hint of glowing pink shimmer, and preps the skin for concealer by creating a smooth, perfect surface upon which it can be applied.

Vibrancy unblended (left) and blended (right)
When I apply MAC Pro Longwear or Mineralize Concealers on top of Vibrancy, my concealer just flat-out lasts longer, looks better (more like real skin) and creases less throughout the day.

With Vibrancy, I feel like I can get away with wearing less makeup overall but still get the benefits of smoother, brighter skin under my eyes.

To use it, I gently pat half a drop beneath each eye. I give that about 10 minutes to absorb, during which time I’ll usually do my hair (to save time), and then blot any excess with a tissue.

Next up comes concealer, unless I’m in a big hurry, in which case I’ll apply Vibrancy first, only wait a minute or two (as opposed to 10), and then blot with tissue. Both approaches seem to work well, but I do think I can eek out a little more wear time from my concealer when I give Vibrancy the extra time to sink in.

It’s not an inexpensive product, especially considering the small 0.5-ounce bottle, but for what it’s worth, a little goes a loooong way. At the counter the other day, the MAC artists were all joking about how one bottle could probably last a gal four or five years.

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Comments

Sounds like a great product! I didn’t know you could use a primer under your concealer, it really sounds like worth a try! I actually love a lot of Mac Prep+Prime products, they are often overlooked by many, but really good!Teri recently posted … Mac Too Supreme Sheen Supreme lipstick Swatches

Now that I am poised to bid farewell to my late early thirties I’m suddenly having to come to terms with all these fine lines under my eyes. It’s weird because they don’t look that noticeable until I put concealer under my eyes, after which point I suddenly look like a double for Shirley MacLaine.

I’m hoping this will help me, because lately my choices seem to be unconcealed hereditary dark circles or pleasantly colored creases that make me look about ten years older.

I hope my little sister listens to me and starts using the sunscreen I just sent her! (to the tune of “House of the Rising Sun” in the style of Nina Simone)

One bottle could last 4 years- wow!! Sold!! But if you use it on your upper lid and underneath the eye, do you think it’d go quicker?? I love the idea of it having a pink shimmer to help neutralize those pesky veins that show up underneath the skin! Thanks for the great convincing review as always- man, you cost me a lot of money Karen!! Ha!!

They said it jokingly — I don’t know if a bottle could really last four years. I think they meant you could get a lot of use from one bottle. Probably not four years, but probably a year or two at the most.

I had a really bad nights sleep and then went to an important dog show one day in march, so I ended up with terrible dark circles, then when we went out to dinner we went to MAC and asked about concealer. She matched me with this and select cover up. It’s perfect, apparently I get dry under the eye very easily, and because of the permanent lack of sleep and allergies, this makes me so much prettier. I just use those two, a bit of mascara or liner, and concealer by my nose, no need for foundation or anything else, then lip color to my hearts content!

Ooh thanks for posting this! I was looking for a good under eye primer of sorts and when I went to the MAC store recently, they didn’t mention this! Thank goodness for you! I know they tout their Fast Response Eye cream for depuffing and what not, how do you think these two compare? Or is it apples and oranges?

Hey Karen! Do you feel like this helps with creasing? That’s my biggest makeup issue- creasy concealer. I’ve started using Pro Long Wear, and it has the best staying power so far, but definitely still emphasizes my fine lining. Thanks so much for this post!

Like a couple of others above, I think this sounds great but I’m concerned about emphasizing my fine lines. Even things like High Beam or Photo Op seem to find a cozy home in my wrinkles. Adding concealer is even worse. Do you think Vibrancy help or hurt?

This is literally my favorite product! I never hear enough about it. Coming from someone who is SUPER prone to concealer creasing – this is my savior! It lasts FOREVER, too! Took me a year to get through a whole bottleâ€¦and that’s with using it everyday.